Japan Studio

Every new console needs a mascot game. One of those “E for Everyone” titles that families can huddle around. It stars a character that can be an ambassador for the system. Ideally, the mascot game shows off the power of the device while being accessible to players of all skill levels. Doing the former is fairly straight-forward, but the latter takes some finesse.

And that’s the position Sony’s Japan Studio is in with Knack. It’s a platformer-brawler that will be released at the PlayStation 4’s launch. It’s a good-looking game with a title character that shows off what the system can do handling dozens of swirling polygons in its title character. As I wrote before, it features a social element and Katamari Damacy-ish traits. There’s even a hinted at companion app.